MCAS Kaneohe Bay

Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, also known as Marion E. Carl Field, is located on the Mokapu Peninsula in Honolulu County, Hawaii. It is a component of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, situated two miles northeast of Kaneohe. The site originated as the Kuwaaohe Military Reservation in 1918, later named Fort Hase. In 1939, the U.S. Navy acquired land on the peninsula for a seaplane base to support long-range reconnaissance flights. During the December 7, 1941, attack, the station was targeted by the Imperial Japanese Navy, resulting in the destruction of based aircraft and damage to Hangar 1. The facility served as a training base for fleet gunnery, navigation, and aircraft recognition during World War II. The Navy decommissioned the station in 1949, and the U.S. Marine Corps recommissioned it in 1952. The airfield was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1987.

The air station is operated by the U.S. Marine Corps and is controlled by Marine Corps Installations – Pacific. It hosts Marine Aircraft Group 24 and a garrison of nearly 10,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel. The station supports the operational requirements of the aviation community and serves as a site for combined air and ground units.

Facilities at the installation support fixed-wing, rotary-wing, tilt-rotor, and unmanned aircraft. Based Marine Corps units include Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 24 and flying squadrons operating the MV-22B Osprey, KC-130J Hercules, and RQ-21A Blackjack. Naval tenant commands include Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37, which operates the MH-60R, and Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 51, which operates the C-40A Clipper. Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron operates the C-20G Gulfstream IV. Infrastructure includes Hangar 1 and five sea plane ramps preserved for their historical military significance.